# Mnemonic devices you use for spelling?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonic-devices-you-use-for-spelling/713121>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 19, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonic-devices-you-use-for-spelling/713121 "2015-02-19T19:44:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonic-devices-you-use-for-spelling/713121/21 "2015-02-22T00:31:06Z")

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> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#):
>
> Regarding the i before e rule, weird is weird.

I before e except after C. And in words with an [ei] vowel like “weigh” and “neighbor”. And weird. And caffeine, neither, heinous, leisure, seize, obeisance, keister, and height.

And science, efficient, fancies, society, and … oh fuck it.

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**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonic-devices-you-use-for-spelling/713121/22 "2015-02-22T02:01:56Z")

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> [@fachverwirrt](#):
>
> I before e except after C. And in words with an [ei] vowel like “weigh” and “neighbor”.

There’s a rhyming version of that part  
_i before e, except after c  
or in sounding like “ay” as in neighbor and weigh_

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonic-devices-you-use-for-spelling/713121/23 "2015-02-22T14:12:16Z")

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> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> There’s a rhyming version of that part  
> _i before e, except after c  
> or in sounding like “ay” as in neighbor and weigh_

Thanks.

But my point is that when you really examine the mnemonic, it sort of falls apart, given the sheer volume of exceptions.

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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonic-devices-you-use-for-spelling/713121/24 "2015-02-22T14:28:23Z")

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Ask my wife.

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